DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
The amendment submitted on 04/20/2026 has been received and considered by the Examiner. Claims 1, 17, 21, 23, 25-26, and 34-35 were amended, claims 2-16, 18, 22, 27, and 30-33 were previously cancelled, and claims 1, 17, 19-21, 23-26, 28-29, and 34-36 remain pending.
Claim Objections
Claim 21 is objected to because it contains a grammatically incorrect sentence that, in context, appears to distort the intended meaning of the claims. It recites “obtaining second indication information indicating that a user plane associated with communication between the DU and the CU for the first TMGI included in the response message”.
In the context of claim 1, a similar independent claim, it seems like this clause was intended to read “obtaining second indication information indicating that a user plane associated with communication between the DU and the CU for the first TMGI included in the response message is not established”, or something similar to this. As it is currently worded, independent claim 21 does not require the second indication to convey that no user plane is established.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 17, 19-21, 23-26, 28-29, and 34-36 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on the combination of references applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 20-21, 24-25, 29, 34, and 36 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dai et al. (US 2024/0236619 A1, hereinafter “Dai”) in view of Aghili et al. (US 2019/0014530 A1, hereinafter “Aghili”).
As to Claim 1 and 25:
Dai describes methods for a distributed unit and a base station to establish a multicast connection.
Specifically, Dai teaches:
A distributed unit (DU) of a base station in a communication system
Fig. 8 in Dai and the accompanying description in paragraphs 0067-0068 in Dai describe setting up a MBS session involving a DU.
Receiving, from a central unit (CU) of the base station, a first request message to request broadcast context establishment associated with a multicast and broadcast service (MBS)
In describing step 801 of Fig. 8, Dai states “the CU may transmit the bearer context ID in a bearer context setup request message to the DU” for “an MBS session” (Dai, 0067).
The first request message includes a first temporary mobile group identifier (TMGI) and first indication information
Paragraph 0067 of Dai states the setup request message may include “a temporary mobile group identity (TMGI)” and “an MBS session ID” (Dai, 0067).
Establishing a broadcast MBS session context corresponding to the first TMGI
Dai states that a DU can respond to a “bearer context setup request message” with “an MBS session ID”, confirming the creation of that MBS session context (Dai, 0067).
Communication between the DU and the CU for the first TMGI
Dai teaches that “the DU may transmit a bearer context setup response message to the CU” which “further indicates at least one of: ... a temporary group identity (TMGI)” (Dai, 0067).
A response message corresponding to the broadcast MBS session context being established
Dai states that a DU can respond to a “bearer context setup request message” with “an MBS session ID”, confirming the creation of that MBS session context (Dai, 0067).
Transmitting, to the CU, the response message
Dai states that a DU can respond to a “bearer context setup request message” with “an MBS session ID”, confirming the creation of that MBS session context (Dai, 0067).
Dai does not explicitly disclose:
Determining, based on the first indication information, not to establish a user plane associated with communication
Including second indication information indicating that the user plane is not established in a response message
The response message including the second indication information
However, Aghili does describe a method to forego establishing a user plane and send small amounts of data over the control plane.
Specifically, Aghili teaches:
Determining, based on the first indication information, not to establish a user plane associated with communication
Aghili describes a method for a network to complete a service request “without establishing a user plane bearer” by having the WTRU “include an indication (e.g., such as a control plane only indication) in an NAS message” (Aghili, 0068).
Here, the “control plane only indication” maps to “the first indication information”, and
“without establishing a user plane bearer” maps to “not to establish a user plane associated with communication”.
Including second indication information indicating that the user plane is not established in a response message
Aghili states that a network “may send a NAS message (e.g., a service accept message) to the WTRU” in response to the service request, later clarifying that “[i]nformation that may be included in a Service Accept message may be included in a Service Request message from a WTRU” such as “a request to send user data via the control plane”, an implicit indication that there is no user plane (Aghili, 0068, 0071).
Here, “a request to send user data via the control plane” answered with a control plane “NAS message” maps to “second indication information indicating that the user plane is not established in a response message”.
The response message including the second indication information
Aghili states that a network “may send a NAS message (e.g., a service accept message) to the WTRU” in response to the service request, later clarifying that “[i]nformation that may be included in a Service Accept message may be included in a Service Request message from a WTRU” such as “a request to send user data via the control plane”, an implicit indication that there is no user plane (Aghili, 0068, 0071).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the explicit signaling that a user plane is not necessary described in Aghili into Dai’s method for establishing a broadcast session between a control unit and a distributed unit. Creating a new user plane may be unnecessary in both situations for different reasons, so Aghili’s signaling would be beneficial in either scenario to configure a new connection without a user plane.
Claim 25 encompasses substantially the same subject matter as Claim 1 in the form of an apparatus claim that additionally requires:
A transceiver; and a processor coupled with the transceiver and configured
Fig. 11 in Dai shows a “processor 1108” connected to “transmitting circuitry 1106”.
As to Claim 20, 24, 29, and 36:
Dai teaches:
The response message further includes an MBS radio bearer (MRB) identifier associated with the first TMGI
Paragraph 0067 of Dai states that “the bearer context setup request message” from “the DU” may include “an ID of a RB” along with “a temporary mobile group identity (TMGI)” (Dai, 0067). Table 1 of Dai further clarifies that the “ID of a RB” is a “MRB ID” in the DU’s response to set up a user context for a tunnel.
Claim 24 encompasses the same subject matter as Claim 20 from the perspective of the CU.
Claim 29 encompasses the same subject matter as Claim 20 in the form of an apparatus claim.
Claim 36 encompasses the same subject matter as Claim 20 from the perspective of the CU and in the form of an apparatus claim.
As to Claim 21 and 34:
Dai teaches:
A central unit (CU) of a base station in a communication system
Fig. 8 in Dai and the accompanying description in paragraphs 0067-0068 in Dai describe setting up a MBS session involving a DU.
Transmitting, to a distributed unit (DU) of the base station, a first request message to request broadcast context establishment associated with a multicast and broadcast service (MBS)
In describing step 801 of Fig. 8, Dai states “the CU may transmit the bearer context ID in a bearer context setup request message to the DU” for “an MBS session” (Dai, 0067).
The first request message includes a first temporary mobile group identifier (TMGI) and first indication information
Paragraph 0067 of Dai states the setup request message may include “a temporary mobile group identity (TMGI)” and “an MBS session ID” (Dai, 0067).
Receiving, from the DU, a response message corresponding to the broadcast MBS session context being established
Dai states that a DU can respond to a “bearer context setup request message” with “an MBS session ID”, confirming the creation of that MBS session context (Dai, 0067).
Communication between the DU and the CU for the first TMGI
Dai teaches that “the DU may transmit a bearer context setup response message to the CU” which “further indicates at least one of: ... a temporary group identity (TMGI)” (Dai, 0067).
The first request message includes a first temporary mobile group identifier (TMGI) and indication information
Paragraph 0067 of Dai states the setup request message may include “a temporary mobile group identity (TMGI)” and “an MBS session ID” (Dai, 0067).
Dai does not explicitly disclose:
Obtaining second indication information indicating that a user plane associated with communication
The user plane being not established is associated with the first indication information
However, Aghili does describe a method to forego establishing a user plane and send small amounts of data over the control plane.
Specifically, Aghili teaches:
Obtaining second indication information indicating that a user plane associated with communication
Aghili states that a network “may send a NAS message (e.g., a service accept message) to the WTRU” in response to the service request, later clarifying that “[i]nformation that may be included in a Service Accept message may be included in a Service Request message from a WTRU” such as “a request to send user data via the control plane”, an implicit indication that there is no user plane (Aghili, 0068, 0071).
Here, “a request to send user data via the control plane” answered with a control plane “NAS message” maps to “second indication information indicating that a user plane associated with communicating
The user plane being not established is associated with the first indication information
Aghili describes a method for a network to complete a service request “without establishing a user plane bearer” by having the WTRU “include an indication (e.g., such as a control plane only indication) in an NAS message” (Aghili, 0068).
Here, the “control plane only indication” maps to “the user plane being not established is associated with the first indication information”.
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the explicit signaling that a user plane is not necessary described in Aghili into Dai’s method for establishing a broadcast session between a control unit and a distributed unit. Creating a new user plane may be unnecessary in both situations for different reasons, so Aghili’s signaling would be beneficial in either scenario to configure a new connection without a user plane.
Claim 34 encompasses substantially the same subject matter as Claim 1 in the form of an apparatus claim that additionally requires:
A transceiver; and a processor coupled with the transceiver and configured
Fig. 11 in Dai shows a “processor 1108” connected to “transmitting circuitry 1106”.
Claim(s) 17, 19, 23, 26, 28, and 35 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dai (US 2024/0236619 A1) in view of Aghili (US 2019/0014530 A1) and further in view of Ling et al. (US 2025/0098029 A1, hereinafter “Ling”).
As to Claim 17 and 26:
Dai teaches:
Receiving, from the CU, a ... request message to request broadcast establishment associated with the MBS
In describing step 801 of Fig. 8, Dai states “the CU may transmit the bearer context ID in a bearer context setup request message to the DU” for “an MBS session” (Dai, 0067).
The combination of Dai and Aghili does not explicitly disclose:
Receiving ... a second request message to request broadcast context establishment associated with the MBS
The second request message includes the second TMGI and the first indication information
The second TMGI is identified as associated with the first TMGI based on the first indication information
However, Ling does describe a method to reuse an existing MBS session instead of establishing a new one if a large number of MBS sessions have already been established.
Specifically, Ling teaches:
Receiving ... a second request message to request broadcast context establishment associated with the MBS
Fig. 1G in Ling and its accompanying description depicts a “N2 message Request” for a “MBS service area” (Ling, 0263).
The second request message includes the second TMGI and the first indication information
Fig. 1G in Ling and its accompanying description state the “N2 message Request” has an “associated TMGI” associated with “the first allocated TMGI” (Ling, 0263).
The second TMGI is identified as associated with the first TMGI based on the first indication information
Fig. 1G in Ling describes “utiliz[ing] the first allocated TMGI to be the identifier to associate broadcast MBS sessions from different CNs” (Ling, 0263).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply Ling’s practice of reusing an existing user plane context into the scenario where a central unit needs to communicate with a distributed unit described in Dai. A distributed unit and a central unit can also benefit from reusing an existing user plane context.
Claim 26 contains substantially the same subject matter as Claim 17 in the form of an apparatus claim.
As to Claim 19 and 28:
The combination of Dai and Aghili does not explicitly disclose:
The indication information corresponds to network resource sharing being possible for a first broadcast MBS session corresponding to the first TMGI and a second broadcast MBS session corresponding to the second TMGI
However, Ling does teach:
The indication information corresponds to network resource sharing being possible for a first broadcast MBS session corresponding to the first TMGI and a second broadcast MBS session corresponding to the second TMGI
Ling describes an “associated TMGI” for “the relevant TMGIs whose broadcast sessions are used to deliver the same content”, indicating the sessions can share resources (Ling 0290-0292, 0295).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply Ling’s practice of reusing an existing user plane context into the scenario where a central unit needs to communicate with a distributed unit described in Dai. A distributed unit and a central unit can also benefit from reusing an existing user plane context.
Claim 28 contains substantially the same subject matter as Claim 19 in the form of an apparatus claim.
As to Claim 23 and 35:
The combination of Dai and Ling does not explicitly disclose:
The response message including the information corresponds to network resource sharing being possible for a first broadcast MBS session corresponding to the first TMGI and a second broadcast MBS session corresponding to a second TMGI
The second TMGI is identified as associated with the first TMGI based on the first indication information
However, Ling does teach:
The response message including the information corresponds to network resource sharing being possible for a first broadcast MBS session corresponding to the first TMGI and a second broadcast MBS session corresponding to a second TMGI
Ling describes an “associated TMGI” for “the relevant TMGIs whose broadcast sessions are used to deliver the same content”, indicating the sessions can share resources (Ling 0290-0292, 0295).
The second TMGI is identified as associated with the first TMGI based on the first indication information
Ling describes an “associated TMGI” for “the relevant TMGIs whose broadcast sessions are used to deliver the same content”, indicating the sessions can share resources (Ling 0290-0292, 0295).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply Ling’s practice of reusing an existing user plane context into the scenario where a central unit needs to communicate with a distributed unit described in Dai. A distributed unit and a central unit can also benefit from reusing an existing user plane context.
Claim 35 contains substantially the same subject matter as Claim 23 in the form of an apparatus claim.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Chen et al. (US 2025/0031017 A1) describes using a shared tunnel indicator to allow multiple UEs to share a user plane via a MBS session.
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BENJAMIN PETER WELTE
Examiner
Art Unit 2477
/GREGORY B SEFCHECK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477
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